1. The Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to chemical reactors, and more specifically to apparatus and methods for generating nitric oxide.
2. Background
The discovery of certain nitric oxide effects in live tissue garnered a Nobel prize. Much of the work in determining the mechanisms for implementing and the effects of nitric oxide administration are reported in literature. In its application however, introduction of bottled nitric oxide to the human body has traditionally been extremely expensive. The therapies, compositions, and preparations are sufficiently expensive to inhibit more widespread use of such therapies. What is needed is a comparatively inexpensive mechanism for introducing nitric oxide in a single dosage over a predetermined period of time. Also, what is needed is a simple introduction method for providing nitric oxide suitable for inhaling.
It would be an advance in the art to provide a single dose generator suitable for administration of nitric oxide gas. It would be an advance in the art to provide not only an independence from bottled gas, but from the need for a source of power for heat, or the like. It would be a further advance in the art to provide a disposable generator to be initiated by a trigger mechanism and operate without further supervision, adjustment, management, or the like. Likewise, it would be a substantial benefit to provide a system that requires a minimum of knowledge or understanding of the system, which might still be safe for an individual user to administer with or without professional supervision.